PART C -Decisio n u n der Appeal The decision under appeal is t h e Ministry of Social Development and Socia reconsiderati on decision dated January 29, 2014, which held th $375 shelter all ow ance during the pe r iod his rent is reduced. S c hed ule A, EA PW D R, the Appel l ant is e lig ible t o rece wh i ch is the maxi m um shelter a llow a nce for his family unit retroactively r educed by $275 fo r the m on ths o f January and February, month by an order of the Residential Ten ancy Branch if a specified da tes. P ART D -Relev a nt Legisla ti on Employment and A ssista nce for Persons w ith D isabi Employment and Assis tanc e for Per so ns wit h Di sa biliti Sch e d ule A, S e ctio ns 1, 4, 5 EAAT 003( 10/06/01) l Innovation 's (th e M i nistry) at th e Appel lan t is not eligible for the max imum The Ministry he ld tha t pu rsuant to sec t ion 5 of ive t h e smaller of his actual rent and $375 per mo nth, . The Ministry found tha t the Appellant's rent was 20 14 a nd b y an add itional amount per p r ev ious order of th e B ranch is not implemen ted b y lit ie s A c t (EA P W DA) S ecti o ns 1 an d 3 e s Regu lati on (E APW DR) S e ctio n 24;
P A R T E S u m m a r v o f F a c t s I n f o r m a t i o n b e f o r e t h e M i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n i A c o p y o f a R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y B r a n c h a r b i t r a o r d e r e d a r e t r o a c t i v e r e d u c t i o n i n r e n t w h i c h w a m o n t h s o f J a n u a r y a n d F e b r u a r y , 2 0 1 4 b y $ 2 7 5 A c o p y o f a S h e l t e r I n f o r m a t i o n f o r m , d a t e d D e c a s $ 1 0 0 . T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s R e q u e s t f o r R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n , s A t t h e h e a r i n g , t h e A p p e l l a n t s u b m i t t e d a c o p y o f h i s N o S e p t e m b e r 2 8 , 2 0 1 1 , s h o w i n g h i s m o n t h l y r e n t a s $ 3 7 5 t h i s d o c u m e n t . T h e P a n e l d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e a d d i t i o n o f t h e E A A a s i t w a s i n s u p p o r t o f t h e r e c o r d s b e f o r e t h e I n r e p l y t o a q u e s t i o n f r o m t h e M i n i s t r y , t h e A p p e l l a n t s t w i t h a c o p y o f t h e o r i g i n a l t e n a n c y a g r e e m e n t . I n r e p l y t h e r e n t a l a m o u n t i n c l u d e s u t i l i t i e s . T h e M i n i s t r y s t o o d b y t h e R e c o n s i d e r a t i o n D e c i s i o n a n d T h e P a n e l m a k e s t h e f o l l o w i n g f i n d i n g s o f f a c t : T h e A p p e l l a n t p a y s $ 3 7 5 p e r m o n t h f o r a c c o m m A S O F J a n u a r y , 2 0 1 4 , t h e a m o u n t o f t h e m o n t h l R T B . E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )n c l u d e d : t o r ' s d e c i s i o n , d a t e d D e c e m b e r 6 , 2 0 1 3 . T h e R T B s i m p l e m e n t e d b y r e d u c i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t f o r t h e t o $ 1 0 0 p e r m o n t h . e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 , s h o w i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s m o n t h l y r e n t _ i g n e d J a n u a r y 1 4 , 2 0 1 4 . n p r o f i t H o u s i n g T e n a n c y A g r e e m e n t , s i g n e d . 0 0 . T h e M i n i s t r y h a d n o o b j e c t i o n t o t h e a d m i s s i o n o f a l d o c u m e n t a r y e v i d e n c e w a s a d m i s s i b l e u n d e r s . 2 2 ( 4 ) M i n i s t r y a t r e c o n s i d e r a t i o n . a t e d t h a t h e d o e s n o t k n o w i f t h e M i n i s t r y w a s p r o v i d e d t o a q u e s t i o n f r o m t h e P a n e l , t h e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e d t h a t d i d n o t p r o v i d e a d d i t i o n a l e v i d e n c e . o d a t i o n y r e n t w a s t e m p o r a r i l y r e d u c e d b y a d e c i s i o n o f t h e
P A R T F R e a s o n s f o r P a n e l D e c i s i o n T h e i s s u e i n t h i s a p p e a l i s t h e r e a s o n a b l e n e s s o f t h e M t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t i s n o t e l i g i b l e f o r t h e m a x i m u m $ 3 7 5 T h e M i n i s t r y h e l d t h a t p u r s u a n t t o s e c t i o n 5 o f S c h e d u l e s m a l l e r o f h i s a c t u a l r e n t a n d $ 3 7 5 p e r m o n t h , w h i c h i s M i n i s t r y f o u n d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t w a s r e t r o a c t i v e l y F e b r u a r y , 2 0 1 4 a n d b y a n a d d i t i o n a l a m o u n t p e r m o n t h o r d e r o f t h e B r a n c h i s n o t i m p l e m e n t e d b y s p e c i f i e d d a t L e g i s l a t i o n E A P W D A I n t e r p r e t a t i o n 1 ( 1 ) I n t h i s A c t : " f a m i l y u n i t " m e a n s a n a p p l i c a n t o r a r e c i p i e n t a n d h i s E l i g i b i l i t y o f f a m i l y u n i t 3 F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s A c t , a f a m i l y u n i t i s e l i g i b l e , i o r a s u p p l e m e n t , i f ( a ) e a c h p e r s o n i n t h e f a m i l y u n i t o n w h o a s s i s t a n c e o r s u p p l e m e n t i s p r o v i d e d s a e s t a b l i s h e d u n d e r t h i s A c t , a n d ( b ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t h a s n o t b e e n d e c l a r e d a s s i s t a n c e o r s u p p l e m e n t u n d e r t h i s A c t E A P W D R A m o u n t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e 2 4 D i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e m a y b e p r o v i d e d t o o r f o r a f a m m o r e t h a n ( a ) t h e a m o u n t d e t e r m i n e d u n d e r S c h e d u ( b ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s n e t i n c o m e d e t e r m i n e S c h e d u l e A M a x i m u m a m o u n t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e b e f o r e d e d 1 ( 1 ) S u b j e c t t o t h i s s e c t i o n a n d s e c t i o n s 3 a n d 6 t o 9 o f r e f e r r e d t o i n s e c t i o n 2 4 ( a ) [ a m o u n t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n d a t e d J a n u a r y 2 9 , 2 0 1 4 , w h i c h h e l d s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e d u r i n g t h e p e r i o d h i s r e n t i s r e d u c e d . A , E A P W D R , t h e A p p e l l a n t i s e l i g i b l e t o r e c e i v e t h e t h e m a x i m u m s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r h i s f a m i l y u n i t . T h e r e d u c e d b y $ 2 7 5 f o r t h e m o n t h s o f J a n u a r y a n d b y a n o r d e r o f t h e R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y B r a n c h i f a n e s . o r h e r d e p e n d a n t s n r e l a t i o n t o d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , h a r d s h i p a s s i s t a n c e s e a c c o u n t t h e d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , h a r d s h i p t i s f i e s t h e i n i t i a l a n d c o n t i n u i n g c o n d i t i o n s o f e l i g i b i l i t y i n e l i g i b l e f o r t h e d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e , h a r d s h i p . i l y u n i t , f o r a c a l e n d a r m o n t h , i n a n a m o u n t t h a t i s n o t l e A , m i n u s d u n d e r S c h e d u l e B . u c t i o n o f n e t i n c o m e t h i s S c h e d u l e , t h e a m o u n t o f d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e s i s t a n c e ] o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n i s t h e s u m o f
( a ) t h e m o n t h l y s u p p o r t a l l o w a n c e u n d e r t h e f a m i l y u n i t o f t h e a p p l i c a n t o r r e c i p i e ( b ) t h e s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e c a l c u l a t e d u n d ( 2 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) , d i s a b i l i t y a s s i s t a n c e m a s u p p o r t f o r t h a t c h i l d i s p r o v i d e d u n d e r s e c t i o C o m m u n i t y S e r v i c e A c t . M o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e 4 ( 1 ) F o r t h e p u r p o s e s o f t h i s s e c t i o n : " f a m i l y u n i t " i n c l u d e s a c h i l d w h o i s n o t a d r e s i d e n c e f o r n o t l e s s t h a n 4 0 % o f e a c h m o r e f e r r e d t o i n s e c t i o n 1 ( 2 ) o f t h i s r e g u l a t i o n " w a r r a n t " h a s t h e m e a n i n g o f w a r r a n t i n s e c a r r e s t w a r r a n t s ] o f t h e A c t . ( 2 ) T h e m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r a f a m i l y u n i t s m a l l e r o f ( a ) t h e f a m i l y u n i t ' s a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t s , a ( b ) t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n t h e f o l l o C o l u m n 1 I t e m F a m i l y U n i t S i z e M 1 1 p e r s o n ( 3 ) F o r a f a m i l y u n i t o f m o r e t h a n 1 0 p e r s o n s , t h a d d i n g a n e x t r a $ 3 5 f o r e a c h p e r s o n b y w h ( 4 ) R e p e a l e d . [ B . C . R e g . 6 2 / 2 0 1 0 , s . ( b ) . ] ( 5 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) ( a ) o r ( 2 . 1 ) ( a ) , i f t h e a o f t h e r e c i p i e n t r e m o r t g a g i n g h i s o r h e r p l a c i s d e e m e d , f o r t h e t e r m o f t h e n e w m o r t g a g ( a ) t h e r e m o r t g a g i n g w a s n e c e s s ( b ) t h e a m o u n t b o r r o w e d u n d e r t ( 6 ) D e s p i t e s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) o r ( 2 . 1 ) , t h e m a x i m u m ( a ) i s a s o l e r e c i p i e n t w i t h o u t d e p E M T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 / 0 6 / 0 1 )s e c t i o n 2 o f t h i s S c h e d u l e f o r a f a m i l y u n i t m a t c h i n g n t , p l u s e r s e c t i o n s 4 a n d 5 o f t h i s S c h e d u l e . y n o t b e p r o v i d e d i n r e s p e c t o f a d e p e n d e n t c h i l d i f n 8 ( 2 ) o r 9 3 ( 1 ) ( g ) ( i i ) o f t h e C h i l d , F a m il y a n d e p e n d e n t c h i l d a n d w h o r e s i d e s i n t h e p a r e n t ' s p l a c e o f n t h , u n d e r t h e t e r m s o f a n o r d e r o r a n a g r e e m e n t ; t i o n 1 4 . 2 { c o n s e q u e n c e s i n r e l a t i o n t o o u t s t a n d i n g t o w h i c h s e c t i o n 1 4 . 2 o f t h e A c t d o e s n o t a p p l y i s t h e n d w i n g t a b l e f o r t h e a p p l i c a b l e f a m i l y s i z e : C o l u m n 2 a x i m u m M o n t h l y S h e l t e r $ 3 7 5 e m a x i m u m m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e i s c a l c u l a t e d b y i c h t h e f a m i l y u n i t s i z e e x c e e d s 1 0 . c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t s o f a r e c i p i e n t i n c r e a s e a s a r e s u l t e o f r e s i d e n c e , t h e a m o u n t o f t h e m o r t g a g e p a y m e n t s e , t o e q u a l t h e a m o u n t b e f o r e t h e r e m o r t g a g i n g u n l e s s a r y b e c a u s e o f t h e e x p i r y o f t h e m o r t g a g e t e r m , a n d h e m o r t g a g e i s n o t i n c r e a s e d . m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e f o r a p e r s o n w h o e n d a n t s , a n d
( b) provides c on f irmation of pr e o r a registrant of the Col lege of Midwives is increased by up to $195 per month for the durat How actual s helter costs are calculat ed 5 (1) For the purpose of this se ction, utility c osts for a family unit's pla following costs: (a) fuel fo r h eat ing ; (b) fuel for c ooking meals; (c) water; (d) hydro; (e ) garb age disposal pr o vide d by a c (f) re n tal of on e ba s ic residenti al singl (2) When cal cu l at ing t h e a c tu al month ly shel ter costs of a f inclu ded : (a ) re nt for th e family u nit's pla c e of r (b) mortgage pa y ments on t h e family family uni t; . (c) a h ouse in suran c e pr e mium fo r person in the family unit; ( d ) p ro p e rty ta xe s for the family unit's famil y un it; ( e) utility co s t s ; (f) the actua l cos t of mainte nance a o wn ed b y a pe r son i n t h e family un approval. (3) If utility costs fluctuate, they may be averaged over the periods (a) beginning on Oc tob er 1 and endin (b) b eginning o n April 1 an d endi ng (4) If 2 or more family units share the same place of residence, the actual shelter costs of any one of them are the small er of (a) the amount calcu l at ed by ( i) divi ding the actual shelte persons occupyin g that place of residen (ii) multiplying the result by the number of persons in that one family unit, and (b) the amount declared by the family unit as the shelter costs for that family unit. EAAT 003( 10/06/01) g na ncy from a medical p r a ct itioner, nurse practition er of British Columb i a io n of the pregnancy. ce of residence include only the o mpany on a r egular wee k l y or biw e ekly ba si s; e line te lepho ne. a m i ly unit, onl y th e f o llo w i ng it ems are e side nce; unit's p la c e of reside n ce, if owned by a p e r s on in th e the fami ly u n i t' s p l ace of re side n ce i f o wned b y a pla c e of r esid enc e if o wned by a person in the nd r e pai rs for th e family un it 's place of r esi dence i f i t an d if these costs have re ceive d t he m inister's pri or g on March 31, and on Septemb er 30. r c osts f o r al l the family units by the number of ce, and
T h e A p p e l l a n t ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t h e r e c e i v e d a n a w a r d , d e c i s i o n , a n d t h e M i n i s t r y u n r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a r e n t a l o f h i s a c c o m m o d a t i o n r e m a i n s t h e s a m e , b u t t h e p e n a l t y t h a t w a s a s s e s s e d b y t h e R T B a d j u d i c a t o r . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e d e c i s i o n o f t h e R e s i d e n t c o m p e n s a t i o n f o r t h e l a n d l o r d ' s f a i l u r e t o c o m p l y w i t h a m o n t h , a l t h o u g h t h e m e a n s t o a c h i e v e t h e p e n a l t y w a s t h e A p p e l l a n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e i n f o r m a t i o I n f o r m a t i o n f o r m d a t e d D e c e m b e r 1 8 , 2 0 1 3 , s h o w i n g t h a n d s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d b y t h e M i n i s t r y t o d e t e r m i n e t h e M i n i s t r y u s e s t h e s a m e d e f i n i t i o n o f r e n t a s t h e R e s i d e n t h e i n i t i a l l e a s e , a c o p y o f w h i c h w a s a d m i t t e d b y t h e P a F u r t h e r , t h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t M i n i s t r y p o l i c y r e q u i r p r o v i d e d b y t h e c l i e n t , t h e r e f o r e t h e i n f o r m a t i o n p r o v i d e T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e a m o u n t o f r e n t p a y a b l e a t h e l a n d l o r d i s e n t i t l e d t o r e c e i v e h a s b e e n r e d u c e d . T h m o n e t a r y a w a r d t o h i m d e d u c t e d f r o m t h e r e n t p a y a b l e A p p e l l a n t . W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e R T B a d j u d i c a t o r ' s d e c i s i o R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y A c t s h o u l d b e t a k e n i n t o c o n s i d e r a t h e d i r e c t o r o r d e r s a p a r t y t o a d i s p u t e r e s o l u t i o n p r o c e e a m o u n t u n d e r s u b s e c t i o n ( 1 ) , t h e a m o u n t m a y b e d e d u t e n a n t , f r o m a n y r e n t d u e t o t h e l a n d l o r d t o p r o v i d e a m r e d u c t i o n i n h i s c a s e i s a c t u a l l y a p a y m e n t f r o m t h e l a n d M i n i s t r y ' s d e c i s i o n r e s u l t s i n a p a y m e n t t o t h e M i n i s t r y r t h e c o s t o f t h e s h e l t e r h a s n o t c h a n g e d ; t h e a m o u n t r e c r e f e r r e d t o t h e M i n i s t r y ' s p o l i c y w i t h r e s p e c t t o e v i c t i o n a t h a t t h e l a n d l o r d v i o l a t e d t h e R e s i d e n t i a l T e n a n c y A c t a r e t r o a c t i v e r e n t r e d u c t i o n a s a n a w a r d t o h i m . I n r e s p o n t h a t h i s r e n t i n c l u d e s u t i l i t i e s , b u t n o t t e l e p h o n e s e r v i c e . T h e M i n i s t r y ' s p o s i t i o n i s t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t w a s r e r e q u i r e d t o p a y t h e s m a l l e r o f t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s a c t u a l s h e s e c t i o n 4 o f S c h e d u l e A , E A P W D R . T h e M i n i s t r y a r g u e t h e m o n t h l y s h e l t e r a l l o w a n c e i s t h e s m a l l e r o f a c t u a l s h T h e M i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e R T B d e c i s i o n r e f e r s t o a r e M i n i s t r y a r g u e d , s i n c e t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t i s p a i d d i r e c t l w h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t i s o r d e r e d t o p a y . W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e P a n e l , t h e M i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e i s a r e f e r e n c e t o a r a g r e e m e n t , a n d i f a d e c i s i o n i s m a d e r e s p e c t i n g a n a w a a r g u e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t i s p a i d d i r e c t l y b y t h e M r e q u i r e d t o p a y w h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t i s r e q u i r e d t o p a y . T h a c c o m m o d a t i o n , t h e t e n a n c y r e m a i n s t h e s a m e , t h e l a n d M i n i s t r y i s r e q u i r e d o n l y t o p a y t h e a c t u a l a m o u n t W i t h r e s p e c t t o t h e a m o u n t o f r e n t t o b e p a i d , t h e P a n e l A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t w a s r e d u c e d b y a d e c i s i o n o f t h e R T B . t o t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s s h e l t e r c o s t s i s t h e i s s u e u n d e r a p p e a T h e P a n e l c o n s i d e r e d t h e R T B a d j u d i c a t o r ' s r e a s o n s f o r E AA T 0 0 3 ( 1 0 1 0 6 1 0 1 )n o t a r e d u c t i o n i n r e n t , i n t h e R T B a d j u d i c a t o r ' s t h i s r e n t w a s r e d u c e d . H e a r g u e d t h a t t h e a c t u a l l a n d l o r d r e c e i v e s l e s s a s a m e a n s t o a c h i e v e t h e i a l T e n a n c y B r a n c h ( R T B ) w a s a n a w a r d a s p r e v i o u s o r d e r o f t h e R T B , a n d h i s r e n t i s s t i l l $ 3 7 5 p e r t o o r d e r a r e d u c t i o n i n t h e m o n t h l y a m o u n t p a y a b l e b y n p r o v i d e d b y t h e l a n d l o r d t o t h e M i n i s t r y , a S h e l t e r e r e n t a m o u n t a s $ 1 0 0 w a s n o t a t e n a n c y a g r e e m e n t A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e t i a l T e n a n c y A c t ( R T A ) , w h i c h i s t h e a m o u n t s h o w n i n n e l , s h o w i n g t h e A p p e l l a n t ' s r e n t a s $ 3 7 5 p e r m o n t h . e s t h a t d o c u m e n t a t i o n o f a c t u a l s h e l t e r c o s t s m u s t b e d b y t h e l a n d l o r d s h o u l d n o t b e u s e d f o r t h a t p u r p o s e . c c o r d i n g t o t h e l e a s e h a s n o t c h a n g e d , b u t t h e a m o u n t e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e n t r e d u c t i o n w a s i n f a c t a , a n d i s a c t u a l l y a p a y m e n t f r o m t h e l a n d l o r d t o t h e n , t h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t s e c t i o n 7 2 o f t h e t i o n , b e c a u s e o f t h e p r o v i s i o n i n s u b s e c t i o n ( 2 ) t h a t i f d i n g t o p a y a n y a m o u n t t o t h e o t h e r , i n c l u d i n g a n c t e d , i n t h e c a s e o f p a y m e n t f r o m a l a n d l o r d t o a o n e t a r y a w a r d . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e r e n t l o r d t o t h e t e n a n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t t h e a t h e r t h a n t o t h e A p p e l l a n t . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d t h a t e i v e d b y t h e l a n d l o r d h a s c h a n g e d . T h e A p p e l l a n t n d t o m i s s i o n , v i s i o n a n d v a l u e s . T h e A p p e l l a n t a r g u e d n d w a s r e q u i r e d t o p a y a p e n a l t y w h i c h r e s u l t e d i n a s e t o a q u e s t i o n f r o m t h e P a n e l , t h e A p p e l l a n t s t a t e d d u c e d f o r a p e r i o d o f t i m e a n d t h e M i n i s t r y i s o n l y l t e r c o s t s a n d t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n t h e r a t e t a b l e p e r d t h a t s e c t i o n 4 o f S c h e d u l e A , E A P W D R s t a t e s t h a t e l t e r c o s t s a n d t h e m a x i m u m s e t o u t i n t h e r a t e t a b l e . n t r e d u c t i o n , n o t c o m p e n s a t i o n . I n t h i s c a s e , t h e y b y t h e M i n i s t r y , t h e M i n i s t r y i s o n l y r e q u i r e d t o p a y T e n a n c y A g r e e m e n t a d m i t t e d a s e v i d e n c e b y t h e b i t r a t i o n o f d i s p u t e s a t t a c h e d t o t h e t e n a n c y r d , i t o v e r r i d e s t h e t e n a n c y a g r e e m e n t . T h e M i n i s t r y i n i s t r y , a n d i f t h e r e n t i s r e d u c e d , t h e M i n i s t r y i s o n l y e M i n i s t r y a r g u e d t h a t t h e A p p e l l a n t r e m a i n s i n h i s l o r d i s n o t r e c e i v i n g t h e f u l l a m o u n t o f t h e r e n t , b u t t h e f i n d s t h a t t h e M i n i s t r y r e a s o n a b l y d e t e r m i n e d t h a t t h e T h e m a t t e r o f w h e t h e r t h i s r e d u c e d r e n t i s a p p l i c a b l e l . h e r d e c i s i o n , w h i c h s t a t e t h a t t h e a w a r d i s f o r t h e l o s s
in value of the tenancy, and refers to a retroactive rent reduction which is to revert to the amount that he would normally be charged after the landlord has fully complied with the order of the RTB. With respect to the Appellant's argument that the Ministry was not entitled to use the landlord's Shelter Information farm, the Panel notes that this is a matter of policy, not legislation. The amount of rent actually paid for the period in question is not disputed by either party. With respect to the Appellant's argument that the Panel should consider section 72 of the Residential Tenancy Act, the Panel notes that this section is not referenced in the RTB decision nor in the Ministry's reconsideration decision, and therefore is not a matter for the Panel to take into account. The Panel notes that the RTB adjudicator stated that she found the landlord failed to implement a previous order of the RTB, and for that reason a reduction in monthly rent was ordered. The applicable legislation states that the monthly shelter allowance for the Appellant's family unit is the smaller of the amount set out in the table found in Schedule A, EAPWDR and the family unit's actual shelter costs. The actual shelter cost in this instance, that is, the amount to be paid to the landlord, has been reduced for a period of lime. The Panel finds that the Ministry reasonably determined that the amount actually paid is the amount to be used for the purpose of calculating shelter cost under sections 4 and 5 of Schedule A, EAPWDR and that the Appellant is not eligible for the maximum $375 shelter allowance as long as his rent is less than $375. The Panel therefore confirms the Ministry's decision as reasonably supported by the evidence. EAA T003(1 0/06/01)
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